A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

3.5.2.2. Manual signs marking subordination in temporal clauses

Different manual signs may be used to express simultaneity: when (a), moment (b), exactly (c), and the phrases time now pe (d) and time now identical (e) (or time identical now).

 

                  

         a.            when 

 

                  

         b.            moment

 

                  

         c.            exactly

 

                                  

         d.            time                  now                                pe

 

                        

         e.            time              now                identical

 

Note that these manual signs are optional. While the manual sign when is produced at the beginning of the subordinate clause, the other signs are produced at the beginning of the main clause. Each manual sign is shown below with an example containing it.

 

 

 

                                                                     cd

                                                                   re

         a.            when ix1 padua arrive ix1 1text2

         โ€˜When I arrive in Padua, I will send you a message.โ€™

 

 

 

                                       cd

                                     re

         b.            2text1 moment ix1 shower

         โ€˜When you sent me the text message, I was taking a shower.โ€™

 

 

 

                                      cd

                                    re

         c.            3text1 exactly ix1 shower

         โ€˜When s/he sent me the text message, I was taking a shower.โ€™

 

 

 

                                             cd

                                           re

         d.            ix2 2text1 ix1 time now pe drive

         โ€˜When you sent me the text message, I was driving.โ€™

 

 

 

                                       cd

                                    re

         e.            3text1 time identical now ix1 drive

         โ€˜When s/he sent me the text message, I was driving.โ€™

 

The optional manual sign expressing anteriority is the sign after.

 

                  

         after

 

When produced, it appears at the beginning of the main clause.

 

 

 

                                    cd

                                  re

         luca go_away after anna cry

         โ€˜After Luca left, Anna cried.โ€™

 

LIS displays different manual signs that may be optionally used to express posteriority:

before (a), earlier (b), not_yet (c). The phrase already before (d) can also be used.

 

                     

         a.            before                      

 

                    

         b.            earlier                     

 

                  

         c.            not_yet

 

                     

         d.       already          before

 

Each manual sign is shown below together with an example containing it.

                                               

 

 

                                             cd

                                            re

         a.            ix2 arrive ix1pl before eat done

         โ€˜We ate before you arrived.โ€™

 

 

 

                                              cd

                                            re

         b.            ix2 arrive ix1pl earlier eat done

         โ€˜We ate before you arrived.โ€™

 

 

 

                                                       cd

                                                      re

         c.            alarm not_yet ixa thiefa go_away

         โ€˜The thief left before the alarm went on.โ€™

 

 

 

                                                 cd

                                              re

         d.            bank close a-n-n-a money take already before

         โ€˜Anna withdrew the money before the bank closed.โ€™

 

Of these, the manual sign not_yet is the only one occurring inside the subordinate clause, at the end of it. All other signs are produced in the main clause, with some flexibility with respect to their position: the sign before can be produced either at the beginning or end of the main clause, or before the main clause predicate. The manual sign already before can be produced either at the end of the main clause, or be separated by other signs within the main clause predicate, as in:

 

                                           cd

                                         re

         ix1 cinema arrive girlfriend already ticket buy before

         โ€˜When I arrived at the cinema, my girlfriend had already bought the tickets.โ€™

 

The sign earlier can be produced before the main clause predicate, or at the beginning of the main clause.

List of editors

Chiara Branchini & Lara Mantovan

Copyright info

ยฉ 2020 Chiara Branchini, Chiara Calderone, Carlo Cecchetto, Alessandra Checchetto, Elena Fornasiero, Lara Mantovan & Mirko Santoro

Bibliographical reference for citation

The entire grammar:
Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.). 2020. A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series). (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Chapter:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3. Coordination and Subordination. In Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.), A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. ((http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Section:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Phonology: 1.1.1.2. Finger configuration. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3.1.2.1.3. Manual markers in disjunctive coordination. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st edn. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)